For the first time, World Cup matches will be broadcast simultaneously on the Web as well as on television in Britain. The service, being offered by the BBC to UK broadband subscribers, will mirror
terrestrial coverage, using the same commentary and camera work, and includes an additional four-minute highlight package from every game that will be available on demand. The BBC has broadcast
soccer on the Web before, but nothing to the magnitude of the World Cup. Bandwidth could be a big problem, especially as billions of consumers around the World will be working when games are
broadcast live, which could prompt them to flood the BBC site. While FIFA's World Cup site also offers highlights, this is the first I've heard of a broadcaster actually streaming the games live on
the Web. If the BBC is able to limit access to UK users only, bandwidth might not be a problem. One can only wonder why company left it so late to announce the service--the tournament starts next
Friday, which hardly gives the thousands of interested advertisers around the world time to buy the service. That said, there may not be any ads at all (which would be a waste), as there was no
mention of advertising in the story.
Read the whole story at BBC.co.uk »
